SE Ridge

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 48.79240°N / 121.2184°W
Additional Information Route Type: Off-trail hike
Additional Information Time Required: A long day
Additional Information Difficulty: Class 3
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach


See the Getting There section on the Main Page for the hike up and traverse along Sourdough Ridge.


Route Description


Descend from the NW end of Sourdough ridge into the 4,920+ pass between Sourdough and Elephant Butte. The last 200 feet are steep; veer S and traverse back to avoid the worst of it. As you climb W toward Elephant you have some flexibilty in the route at first. We zigzagged up snowfields and rockbands, avoiding the steepest rock. The map shows a permanent snowfield just above 6000 feet. From the bottom of it, turn left and traverse to the SE ridge. Follow its crest to avoid the steep upper faces and take it to the summit.

We took an alternative route for the descent, working farther S on the snowfields until we reached the little unnamed lake at 5135 feet, dropping down to it from the S. Descend diagonally NE to below 5000 feet, then contour to the pass and hump up onto Sourdough for the return.


Essential Gear


Boots and iceaxes. If you're trying to pull this off as a day trip, pack very lightly and don't dawdle.


Miscellaneous Info


If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.